A dream coaching debut for Deion Sanders quickly turned into a nightmare when he returned to the locker room after the game.
“I’m pissed off now,” Sanders told reporters after leading Jackson State to a 53-0 win over Edward Waters on Sunday. “While the game was going on, someone came in and stole everything I had in it [the coach’s office]
The Pro Football Hall of Famer – and former Yankees outfielder – then listed what had disappeared: his cellphone, wallet, credit cards, and watches.
“How?” the 53-year-old shouted in disbelief.
Moments after the press conference, college officials told Sports Illustrated that Sanders’ items were “misplaced” after being moved for “safekeeping” and returned.
Case closed? Not quite.
“Whoever is telling the lie that my belongings have not been stolen, LIE”, tweeted Sanders. “My belongings were taken out of a zipper bag in my office and more items were also taken from my office. We’ve been collecting them since they were reported. My co-worker witnessed the crime. #Truth”
He later tweeted, “An employee came in on the theft that was committed, but she couldn’t turn a guy down.”
After Sanders’ tweets, a spokeswoman for the Jackson State Athletic Department said it considered “this an isolated incident” but would review security protocols.
“We refuse to let this dampen the victory for our JSU Tigers,” said Ashley Robinson, the vice president and director of athletics.
Sanders, whose net worth is said to be $ 40 million, was named coach of the historically black university in September.
As a member of the Southwest Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Jackson State has moved part of the season to spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.